Good Morning

[bhanain03]

Hello to everyone! My name is Michael, I am a 24 year old student and, quite unsurprisingly, an aspiring fantasy novelist. I've been working on the same world building project since the age of 12 and while I've steadily advanced and expanded on those first child-like ideas, one of the first things I did when I began was, you guessed it, to draw a map. Times haven't changed much in that regard. I view the fantasy world in which my writing takes place as very rigidly defined, the outcome of years upon years of tracing and retracing hand drawn maps. Technology has provided great stability in my project, as the geography of my world has only taken on minor changes and alterations since the first inked black-and-white copy was scanned and introduced to the digital world. In the last few years I've put in such levels of intricate detail that nothing I can do by hand begins to give it the justice it deserves. Then I met Photoshop and knew therein were the tools necessary to bring all of it into sparkling clarity and vivid life. I'm glad to have found this site, not only to find that I am not alone in my rather obscure hobby, but for the great information and support I have already managed to plumb from the Cartographers' Guild's resources. I hope to not only continue that trend but also to lend whatever aid I can to others, new and old, that have embarked in the cartographer's journey.

As something extra, I'm also including my first work since joining, a random map created heavily using the methods found in Saderan's tutorials. Far from brilliance and not in the same style I've begun to employ on my own world, I look at this as a good beginning and had much fun in the process. Cheers.

[rdanhenry]

Welcome to the Guild!

[Steel General]

Welcome Aboard!

Nice job on your first try with that tutorial.

[NeonKnight]

Welcome to the Guild!

[arsheesh]

Welcome to the Guild Michael, and yes, your are in good company here. Great job on your first map by the way.

Cheers,

-Arsheesh

[Korash]

Most definitely a good showing for a first posted map!

It is time to blow the dust off of my badge. One of the things about river that need to be kept in mind is that they do not flow over hills and up mountain slopes. They will always (with very few noted exceptions) flow down hill by the easiest route. I will not get into those exceptions, but the use of "Magic" is really the only way to prevent the water heading down in a fantasy setting. BIG magic at that. Your call, but if using that card, be prepared for people to question it.

OK, on the cases:
Northern half of mountain range at bottom left: the landward end seems to sit ON the slope instead of going to the lowland

The eastern river of the large island in the south curls UP the slope before heading back down

The eastern river of the northern continent looks to go around a hill/low mountain and then over a hill before emptying into the sea.

These are quite minor to the eye, as this is quite a nice map, but I thought I should let you know.

[sebastianjohn]

Hi.....,

Nice job on your first try.